Chongfu Temple - Historical Witnesses in Shuozhou City

SHANXI, China, April 30, 2012 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Chongfu Temple, located in the East Street of New City in Shuozhou City, Shanxi Province, close to downtown area, with convenient traffic, is the key units of cultural relics preservation approved by the State Council. The temple rides north to south in neat layout with five courtyards and ten palaces totally. There stands Hall of King Kong, Bell Tower, Drum Tower, Qianfo Ge, Manjusri Hall, Possession Temple, Daxiong Duan, Amitabha Hall and Goddess of Mercy Temple from the south to the north of gate, covering an area of 23,400 square meters, which form such a complete-scale and magnificent ancient architecture.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120430/NY96983 )

Historical Value
Chongfu Temple was built in second years of Tang Lin (year of 665) by E Guogong（royal nobility title）Weichijingde under the imperial order. Through renovation and expansion in successive dynasties, its scale becomes more and more magnificent. The main hall Amitabha Hall was set up in the third year of Jinxizong Huangtong (1143), with a history of more than 800 years. As one of the existing Three Big Buddha Hall in Liao and Jin era, it presents its very important historical value.

Architectural Value
The main hall Amitabha Hall is the largest building in the temple, which embodies the essence of Chongfu Temple. In order to expand the inner space, the craftsmen at that time adopted minus column building, which was unique as the domestic isolated case. Additionally, whether the colored glaze ridge decorations, brackets, plaque-free bar, partition board doors and windows, beam structure on the top to the statue or backlights and wall paintings inside are all original articles from Jin era. They have been preserved until now and rarely to see today, being called "Cultural Palace of Art in Jin Era" by experts. Furthermore, there are many valuable cultural relics such as Thousand-buddha Stone Pagoda of Northern Wei Dynasty.

Nowadays Chongfu Temple, with its unsophisticated and lofty appearance, reappears in the earth of Shuozhou City, keeping on witnessing the changing and developing times.

Route: Start from Beijing, arrive at Shuozhou City after 8.5 hours by train and go to #94 of East Street of New City.

Simayi
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http://city.cri.cn/

SOURCE City Channel of CRI Online